Jen Hawkins & Malcolm Dowden explain why the Localism Bill heralds false hope, not a new dawn
For a relatively brief period the previous Labour government issued “plain English” versions alongside statutes as they received royal assent. The experiment did not last. In case of discrepancy it was clear that the actual statute would be the document with legal force. Consequently, however clear the prose might be, a “plain English” version would be meaningless in the only real circumstances when it might be useful.
The coalition government has issued a “plain English guide” to its flagship Localism Bill. It suffers from a basic flaw similar to “plain English” versions of statutes. The clarity of its prose might even amplify the risk of misleading its readers.
A key element of the Localism Bill is the “community right to challenge”. The plain English guide explains: “The best councils are constantly on the look out for new and better ways to design and deliver services. Many recognise the potential of social enterprises and community groups to
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